Meth charges mount against Pekin man

A Pekin man didn’t let a past conviction and a fresh charge stop him from his work as a traveling meth salesman, a prosecutor alleged Thursday.

Daniel Huddleston, 35, was charged with possessing the drug with intent to deliver while he was free on bond in a virtually identical case filed in January.

With a conviction in 2011 in a strikingly similar case that produced a five-year prison term, Huddleston could be imprisoned for up to 30 years if he’s convicted in his latest cases.

He also was charged Thursday with misdemeanor domestic battery against his former girlfriend. Weighing 240 pounds, he allegedly pushed her to the floor of her home, sat on her, then pushed her face when she refused to give him her car keys in early February.

A Pekin police officer stopped Huddleston’s car on Jan. 19 for driving with a suspended license. Suspecting drugs were in the vehicle, he found paraphernalia and items used to package methamphetamine for sale, a court affidavit stated. A baggie containing 9 grams of meth was found on his passenger, who said Huddleston told her to hide it as the officer approached. Police also found $1,683 in cash on Huddleston.

Released on $5,000 cash bond several days later, he allegedly battered his ex-girlfriend on Feb. 3. She told police she didn’t report the violence because she feared Huddleston. Her brother did when he discovered bruises on her face, the affidavit stated.

Huddleston was sought in that case when the car he rode in as a passenger was stopped Tuesday. A search revealed a container attached to his leg that held more than 5 grams of meth, the affidavit stated.

Huddleston told police he had obtained an ounce of the drug from a man, had sold most of it and was on his way to make another sale when he was stopped, the affidavit stated.

He was ordered held on $100,000 bond pending his next court appearance Feb. 26 in his latest case.

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